Quick action from a Hoonah boy saved a fishing party from a charging brown bear on June 18, the Empire has learned through Alaska State Troopers and family members.

It was the first Defense of Life or Property (DLP) killing in the Hoonah area this year, according to trooper spokesperson Megan Peters.

When the attack occurred, Elliot Clark, then 11 years old, was walking through the woods near Game Creek in Port Frederick several miles south of Hoonah. The young outdoorsman was heading to a nearby fishing hole with his uncle, Craig Stoltzfus, Stoltzfus’ father, a cousin and three dogs.

Stoltzfus and Elliot Clark were armed when a brown bear came out of the woods, charging the group head on. The other members of the party were not armed.

Lucas Clark, Elliot’s father and himself a bear hunting guide, told the story in a Tuesday phone interview with the Empire. Elliot Clark declined to be interviewed at this time.

Lucas Clark was in Washington state at the time of the attack, but his account squares with that from Alaska State Troopers, who investigate DLP killings in Alaska. Stoltzfus couldn’t be reached for this story.

“There was four of them in a line … my son was third,” Clark said. “The bear came down the trail at them, fella in the front, who was his uncle, the bear was on him so quickly that he didn’t have time to take his rifle off his shoulder.”

The bear ran through the first two men, who were pushed to the side of the trail, leaving Elliot Clark in front of his unarmed cousin. The boy raised his pump action shotgun and shot the sow, hitting it with birdshot, which is often used just to scare bears off, Lucas Clark said.

“His first shot was a light load of birdshot. That first shot hit him in the shoulder and did absolutely nothing. The next shot hit him in the nose and traveled down through the neck,” Lucas Clark said.

The third shot went into the bear’s shoulder and his back, dropping it to the ground. The bear was so close when Elliot hit it with his third shot, there were powder burns on the bear’s mouth. Still alive, the bear then slid by Elliot’s feet.

“As the bear slid past him and came to a stop, he put a kill shot it him,” Lucas Clark said.Stoltzfus finished it off with another round.

The moment could have turned out differently. Lucas Clark hadn’t gotten around to putting a sling on his son’s shotgun, leaving the 11-year-old to carry it in his hands. He credits this and a lot of shooting practice with preparing Elliot for the moment.

“He was carrying it in his hands rather than on his shoulder. That was the problem with the other ones, when the bear came at his uncle, he had his rifle on his shoulder and the bear was very close, so he couldn’t get it off in time,” Lucas Clark said.

Just the day before, Elliot still had a plug in his shotgun, meaning his gun only carried three rounds: the “topround” of birdshot and two slugs. He had taken the plug out the day before, Lucas Clark said, after calling his father to ask permission to do so.

The family had seen bear in the area for a few days, and had been carrying guns for protection.

Between Alaska Wildlife Troopers and Hoonah Police Department, three brown bears were killed in DLP in the Hoonah area last summer and fall. In one of those killings, Hoonah man Josh Dybdahl was bitten in the leg and almost killed before his hunting partner was able to shoot the bear.

Lucas Clark said the family practices caution and safety when it comes to living in bear country. But nobody can control mother nature, and no amount of preparedness can guarantee safety.

“It’s not just a matter of skill or preparedness. It can happen to anybody and it can go wrongly, especially a kid,” Lucas Clark said. “We pray for our kids every day and in my mind that’s the biggest factor right there.”

Moral of the story, when in jungle or wilderness with dangerous animals, carry the gun in your hands and not hang it on your shoulder using the sling. They had three dogs with them, do the dogs not give any early warning of approaching bear or any dangerous animal nearby?

"Political tags - such as royalist, communist, democrat, populist, fascist, liberal, conservative, and so forth - are never basic criteria. The human race divides politically into those who want people to be controlled and those who have no such desire." -- Robert Heinlein

Just a few thoughts on this incident.Kudos to the kids parents for preparing him to face an eventuality like this. Preparing your children to face any eventualities they may encounter is your job.From the photos, it looks like he has his own Remington 870 shotgun and knew how to use it. When you use a pump action shotgun enough, pumping becomes automatic and it looks like he had plenty of practice with it.As Abhijit says, most grown men would have frozen and been unable to react in time.It is also interesting, as GBM mentioned, that the dogs didn't warn them in time.

Bears can be very fast and unpredictable. In another forum that I was on, there was a guy who related an attack on him by a Grizzly. He was an experienced hunter at the prime of his life then. He was hunting on Kodiak Island in Alaska and rounded a bush to come face to face with a Bear. He had his rifle slung on his shoulder and before he could get it into play, the Bear was all over him. He was horribly savaged and was almost killed before his hunting partner could run up and dispatch the Bear. However, it seems like many people survive Bear attacks. They are probably not as efficient as some of the big cats that turn into man-eaters, most likely because many of these encounters seem like reactions to surprise.

Then I think of hunters like Jim Corbett, Kenneth Anderson and our own Prashant Singh. They went up against some of the most efficient killing machines in the animal kingdom on foot, at night. They did this knowing full well what could happen if caught unawares. In Spanish there is a word that describes what men like these have in spades; Cojones!

The Asian Black bears are more aggressive as i heard. In my school days I saw village people use to move in groups and with torches ( Mashal) at night for the fear of bear and leopard attacks. Many people were got injured or killed on those days while trying to steal baby's from mother bear or searching for Bear bread for Ayurvedic medicines.

Strange that the dogs did not warn them in time! Bear attacks can be deadly but as Xl Target pointed out they attack usually because they are surprised unwittingly by man, unlike man eaters who attack with a purpose. Having said that as Shivaji Dasgupta mentioned, a lot of people can be horrifically injured by bears...I met a guy whose face was nearly torn out during a sloth bear attack...it was terrible... it's almost like he had no face...saw him years after the attack and what bears attacks can do...Shivaji Dasgupta it's funny you mention ' Bear bread' it's apparently a concosion of wood apple,insects and honey' regurgitated by the bear for its cubs - Kenneth Anderson writes of finding this ' Karadi Roti' as it's known in Tamil in a cave described in the story entitled 'The Segur Man eater' from the book 'Nine man eaters and one rogue'The story of the Segur Man eater happens to take place near a friends house in a village called Valiattotha (situated in the Segur or rather Sigur region) and which borders the Mudumalai tiger reserve!

SMJ sir Good Morning, AS you rightly said the bears bread is a regurgitation of intake. I have not seen this thing from long time. around 80s we saw this thing in frequent intervals in village hat (the weekly market for Village people). A blackish solid rock like substance covered with flies. usually villagers brought it wrapping in some leaves and sale it at high price, they said that its a very good source of instant energy and give its powdered form with mahua (Wine Made from Mahua Flowers) or Kusum wine to the people suffering with diseases. the newly wed ones also search it dedicatedly

they said that bears usually intake small fruits, insects, wild mushroom along with honey and later they dig a hole and regurgitated the whole mixture in the hole and covered it up. It got dried with time and took form of a ball like substance. they store it for winter season as stocked food. People go in search for these thing usually welcomed by bears in such a manner that they carry that welcome kiss maks for yrs

Added in 22 minutes 48 seconds:sorry to mention its called bhalu pitha in our area.

I have not seen this thing from long time. around 80s we saw this thing in frequent intervals in village hat (the weekly market for Village people). A blackish solid rock like substance covered with flies. usually villagers brought it wrapping in some leaves and sale it at high price, they said that its a very good source of instant energy and give its powdered form with mahua (Wine Made from Mahua Flowers) or Kusum wine to the people suffering with diseases. the newly wed ones also search it dedicatedly

Very interesting Shivaji Dasgupta Even more amazing that you have seen it yourself !! Frankly, I thought it (bears bread) was a myth- much as I love reading KA stories - I don't believe every word

they said that bears usually intake small fruits, insects, wild mushroom along with honey and later they dig a hole and regurgitated the whole mixture in the hole and covered it up. It got dried with time and took form of a ball like substance. they store it for winter season as stocked food

Similarly described by KA but he mentions it was usually food for the cubs. Anyways wonder if this is a trait for all bears or just the Asian Sloth Bear. Strangely something like this has never been documented but then again I don't recollect seeing any documentary made about the Sloth Bear.

A story full of morals about keeping firearms, keeping them loaded, practising, and so on. Really brave young chap!

Re. modus operandi of bear attacks, I remember reading something by Kenneth Anderson, where he mentions that the only properly sensitive organ the bear has is the nose. They are rather shortsighted and hard of hearing. So, when someone comes up on a bear from downwind, the bruin is surprised, loses his cool and lashes out blindly. And they have what, 6 inch claws? Plus, they also bite. Normally, after reducing you to a bleeding, dead or almost-dead pulp, they walk off. Kenneth Anderson also kept a sloth bear at home (after shooting its mother), named Bruno.

EssDee__________________________________________________________________________________________________________In a polity, each citizen is to possess his own arms, which are not supplied or owned by the state. — Aristotle

SMJ Sir, Around 80s it was a common scenario that people living in the jungles often come to near by localities with some or other merchandise to sale from jungle. Birds, Venison, different medicinal plants, honey, fruits and roots and other products whatever they can gather. One of my Neighbor purchased a deer skin at that time @ 150 as that old lady want to use it as her pooja mat. one more person I know purchased Tiger claw (Nail) to use that as a locket ( its some type of taboo i think).

I really consider myself lucky as I was able to saw a very very tiny glimpse of the Golden old Days,

What bear Bread?? It is nothing but regurgitated stuff that does not agree with the Bear's digestive system. Mostly Bee Wax and Beetle body shell,some tough nuts etc. I have seen it in my friends property that has sizable bear presence situated near the buffer zone and its treated not unlike bear scat. No stories around it either from natives.Marksman

What bear Bread?? It is nothing but regurgitated stuff that does not agree with the Bear's digestive system. Mostly Bee Wax and Beetle body shell,some tough nuts etc.

Makes logical sense actually than the fact that its a source of food, either for the animal or its young.Might interesting how legends get created but Shivaji Dasgupta Sir would actually be better placed to comment on this as he lives near the jungle (lucky chap!!).

I have seen it in my friends property that has sizable bear presence situated near the buffer zone and its treated not unlike bear scat. No stories around it either from natives.Marksman

@Marksman whereabouts is your friends property?

I really consider myself lucky as I was able to saw a very very tiny glimpse of the Golden old Days,

Wild boars coming for Vegetable fields at night and farmers guard all night over machans with tin cans and Phatakas to protect their fields.

Chirimar's ( The Bird catchers) were trying sale the Jungle birds at streets.

I have also been fortunate enough to have grown up in the 80's although not as lucky as you to be living near a jungle! However, Bombay (as it was known back then) where was a very different city - it had a lot of wetlands, mangroves, open spaces and was far greener generally. I have even entered the national park with my IHP National just for the thrill of target practice in the forest - it did not even raise a single eyebrow in those days!

"I have also been fortunate enough to have grown up in the 80's although not as lucky as you to be living near a jungle! However, Bombay (as it was known back then) where was a very different city - it had a lot of wetlands, mangroves, open spaces and was far greener generally. I have even entered the national park with my IHP National just for the thrill of target practice in the forest - it did not even raise a single eyebrow in those days!"

SMJ sir, Whenever i use to go Mumbai by train while entering Mumbai, crossing vast mangroves and Marsh lands I use to think what these areas were in past. Though its mostly destroyed due to increasing size of that mega city but one easily get an idea.and Lucky u r that roamed in the national park with your AR, Now even if you go out with it for a repair then even it will rise the eyebrows of your neighbors.

For Bear bread, As I told I saw these things long back when Tribals bring them to market for sale and from them only We come to know what it was and learn that many people get themselves injured while trying to search these things by angry bears. May be its a undigested food parts or a food itself stored by bears.

frankly I never try to find out its actual content ( and recipe the bears follow while making it , Now A days chance to see a wild bear in its natural surroundings is very thin, last year Dec I saw one near A Rocky Water hole after at least 8/9 yrs and they are also starving heavily due to deforestation so don't think that they are making those breads now.... a very remote chance to check it now... just a joke). as this bear Attack topic come here, I recalled those incidents.

Attaching two pics of Wild fire in near by hills last March.

Again apologies in advance for poor picture Quality.

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A wild fire on Talsa hills at night from road

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wild fire on turi hills at night same road.

Regards.

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